CCF Army Summer Camp 2019

CCF Army Summer Camp 2019 – a week in the (Scottish) Field

Having left college at 0530, an unprecedented lack of roadworks and traffic congestion allowed 18 cadets and four staff to reach Barry Buddon Camp, just outside Carnoustie on the Scottish east coast at 1545, some four hours ahead of schedule and in time for both dinner and the staff briefing.

Monday was a shake-out day where we took the weapons out on to the exercise area and the three NCOs who had completed the SCIC course were able to deliver revision weapons lessons to the section, honing and finessing their marksmanship, fire & manoeuvre and battle drills.

Sunday was our AT (Adventurous Training) day where we made the short journey to Monikie Country Park for a great morning of watersports on the reservoir, kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddle-boarding in the sunshine and practising deep water rescue and recovery. We even managed to squeeze in an ice-cream on the beach in Carnoustie.

Tuesday was our range day. The fourth years shot for their APC basic; zero and grouping at 100m followed by practice and competition shoots on fixed targets at 100m and 200m. The older cadets shot for the APC Advanced, zero and grouping at 100m and then practising and competing at 200m on fixed and pop-up targets, using both deliberate and rapid fire. Despite the persistent rain, 15 of our 18 cadets shot well enough to meet the relevant pass threshold, with some getting very close to the marksman level. Our best shots were Elijah Buckingham on the basic shoot and Charlie Morris on the advanced.

Wednesday was round-robin day where the cadets, working amongst our other D-Company schools of Kingston Grammar and Haberdashers, completed a carousel of five activities: a paintball section fire and manoeuvre; range firing of the 7.62mm L129 sharpshooter rifle; the assault course; battlefield first aid and a paintball “red entry” TIBUA (training in built up area), working in pairs to clear a bunker.

Thursday and Friday was Exercise Striking Lion, a two-day company level battle exercise were we combined with cadets from Haberdashers as a 38 strong company. The group was tasked to establish a harbour area in a woodland to the south of camp from which to conduct recce patrols in preparation for a night-time ambush and frontal assault on an enemy operating base the following morning. Our sergeants and senior NCOs were able to take command roles within their sections, directing their troops and implementing the orders of the section commander (RSM Charlie Morris).

On return to camp on Friday lunchtime, there was just enough time to clean weapons, pack kit, feed and shower before the bar-b-que and closing parade and disco… We left camp at 0530 on Saturday morning and were back at college for 1630.

The Barry Buddon Cadet Training Team were fantastic: supportive, entertaining and (almost always) intelligible; the accommodation and food was unusually good; the weather was (mostly) dry and the cadets were superb. This is the second year of our CEP partnership and the TPS cadets are fully-integrated into the contingent. It has been a genuine pleasure to be away with such an entertaining, reliable and good-natured group of young people. My sincere thanks go to Lt Sasha Gibbins, 2L Andy Rowley and 2L Amanda Tupper for their energy, support, humour and enthusiasm, and to Cptn Simon Kelson, for organising much of the pre-camp administration.

Lt David Nighy

Army Section Commander

Click the image below to view the Flickr Gallery:

{stories}